The Jump
by anajadenx
Summary: Elena is just an ordinary girl who is writing a story. One random day, she suddenly finds herself inside of her story, and somehow, she wasn't the only one that was taken into her new world. Co-Written with PrincessBlonde.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, everyone!**

 **Here's a new story, co-written with Princess Blonde. We'll be taking turns writing. I'll be writing Chapter One, she'll be writing Chapter Two, and so on.**

 **We both have it on our accounts, so there are two identical copies of the story on Fanfiction. They'll probably update roughly around the same time.**

 **Let's begin!**

 **The Jump**

 **Chapter One**

Elena stared out of the window. The sky was in a beautiful shade of blue and gold, blending together around the sun. Small silver stars winked at her as the shadows grew longer. Children disappeared into their homes, and the streets were soon illuminated by warm golden streetlights. Slowly, the sky turned darker as the evening turned into night.

There was an idea in her mind. There wasn't much, but it was a bit, a small spark of inspiration that would blossom into something bigger and brighter. Elena tried to urge that small spark on, hoping that it would bloom faster, but as quickly as it appeared, the spark was snuffed out, leaving Elena alone with nothing to think about, but maybe…

Elena shook her head. She would not think about him. There really was no use dreaming, since it would do nothing but to make her feel even more upset anyway.

"Elena!"

Elena jumped as her mother knocked sharply on the door before walking in, frowning.

"Elena, are you done with your homework yet?" Elena's mother asked.

"Yes," Elena answered.

"Good," Elena's mother nodded, satisfied. "Get to bed. There's school tomorrow, and I don't want you to start oversleeping."

"But it's only nine!" Elena protested, but weakly. There was no use arguing. Whatever Miranda Gilbert spoke, whatever must be done. Sighing, Elena made her way to the bathroom. Satisfied, Miranda left the room after saying good-night.

Elena took a quick shower, brushed her teeth, and changed. She lay down in bed, staring at the ceiling, and somehow knew that she wouldn't be going to sleep as soon as she hoped.

* * *

The next morning, Elena woke when she heard her alarm ringing. Groaning, she opened her eyes, wincing at the bright sunlight streaming through the windows. Downstairs, she could hear bacon and eggs sizzling, the welcoming smell wafting into her bedroom.

Elena smiled sleepily as she got to her feet, washing up before changing into jeans, boots, a tank top and a light lacy jacket. She got downstairs, laughed with her parents, and grabbed a bagel before going outside, headed towards school. It was a beautiful day, and she really should enjoy it.

When she arrived at school, hardly anyone was tting on a bench, she opened a book. Her friends would be arriving soon, and they would be able to find her easily.

Just as Elena read the first page, she paused. From the distance, came the sound of a car arriving. She heard several shouts and friendly fist bumps. There was a knot of dread sitting in her stomach, and suddenly, Elena wished she hadn't taken a seat in such an open view.

A sleek red car came into view, parking neatly. Four boys slipped out of the seats, grouping together and heading towards the school building. All of them were very good-looking, fit and healthy, laughing at their jokes and having a great time, but Elena didn't care about those three boys. The one right in the center was Stefan Salvatore, and Elena hated to admit it, but… she did kind of have a slight crush on him.

All right, maybe not just a slight crush, but yeah, she did have a bit of a crush on him.

Elena suddenly had this really weird urge to just stand up and introduce herself. She had nothing to fear, really. She wasn't a nerd or a dork. She had her own group of friends, and she always had a place to sit. She was also quite pretty, with sleek brown hair and chocolate eyes, but she had no idea why she just couldn't walk up and introduce herself. It wasn't difficult. Why couldn't she just do it?

Stefan walked into the school and out of view. Elena hesitated, and she gave up entirely. Suddenly, the day didn't seem so beautiful anymore.

* * *

The day passed quickly. Elena had a great time with her friends, but whenever she saw Stefan, that knot of dread returned, and Elena's happy smile would turn into a sad one. It was tragic, really.

When she returned home that day, it was already pretty late. Elena shoveled down a quick dinner and sat at her desk. She was ready to do her homework, but she couldn't write it down. Elena tried calling her friends. Maybe she could burn off some stress there, but when she called, no one replied.

Elena sighed, but that was when the spark came back. Elena paused. The spark danced along in her mind, and suddenly, Elena just knew what she was going to write. Elena grabbed her laptop and got working immediately. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, and bit by bit, a story emerged from a blank page.

Elena didn't know how long she wrote for. It must have been hours, but she didn't care. Somehow, she couldn't just stop. Her fingers were flying, her mind was scrambling, her eyes burned with the need to sleep and…

Elena suddenly collapsed. Her head hit the computer, and ridiculously enough, she fell asleep.

 **A/N- Hey guys! This is PrincessBlonde or Anjali! Next up is my chapter. Tell us what do you think of our story and editing!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back, everyone! Here's the next chapter, written by PrincessBlonde. Don't forget to review!**

 **The Jump**

 **Chapter Two**

Elena awoke to the feeling of grass under her and shot upwards because how could she be on grass? She lived in New York City, more commonly known as a concrete jungle and she was sure that she had not fallen asleep in Central Park. Yet.

"Stupid question, but where am I?" she asked herself looking at the corn field she was in which seemed to stretch for miles in all direction and seemed extremely familiar.

"That's stupid. How can it be? I have never been to a corn field and the one this resembles exists nowhere but on my laptop," she chided herself as she walked through the growing stalks of corn. Trying to comprehend how she had ended up in a replica of the field where Katherine, the heroine of her medieval novel, had been at the start of the book, she did not notice as she bumped into someone. A tall, stocky, brown haired and green eyes someone. Who was looking at her like he had seen a ghost?

"Um…hello?"

"Ye are a witch! Wait, till they catch you! Just ye wait," the man screamed. His rising hand was the last thing she saw before the world turned black.

* * *

Elena opened her eyes to the same darkness, she had experienced while they were closed and groaned. Her arms ached like hell, for having being used to hold her weight for god knows how long as she hung from a something, she could not feel because of the crude jute gloves or was it sack tied around her hands. All she could feel was the cold evening wind on her shorts clad feet and face, while the dying sunlight lit up the underside of her blindfold.

"Where am I?" was her last thought before the ground was pulled from under her feet, literally and figuratively. Because the next words could either make or ruin her life. And at the moment, ruin it was.

"Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to put an end to another evil, an abomination of nature, as can be seen from the clothes of this witch, clothes that reek of witchcraft. As per the law of Prince Niklaus of the Original Lands, son of the late Kind Michael and Queen Esther, I, Royal Guard of the Order of Orleans, Marcellus sentence this practitioner of a banned art of the devil, to death by hanging at sundown. So the law says, so mote it be and long live the Prince."

As she fainted with shock, Elena wondered at the irony, an author who got to live in her own world, only to die as soon she arrives. Praise to King Nicklaus indeed.

* * *

Lady Bonnie Benet of the witches, made her way through the crowd, her hood pulled up and a basket full of flowers and fruits at her side. Dark brown eyes glittered behind the cloth as black curls flowed down to her waist and a blood red dress fluttered in the wind, covered by a non-descriptive black cloak. Looking at her, anyone would see a wee lass of sixteen, dark skinned and waiting on her betters to make some money. Most would ignore the power that shone through her very being and lit up her face in a dark sinister way, they would often overlook the magic that flowed in veins and this often proved to be their downfall. Bonnie Benet was not one to be underestimated nor was she one to harm another. Despite the raw power which entitled that she could.

Looking at the girl hung up in the stock, the first thing that flew across her face was pity. This girl was no witch. She snorted at the thought that any witch would be fool enough to oust herself with such out landish clothes, clothes that clung to her and showed more skin than any woman in the Original Lands ever dared to except perhaps Princesses Freya and Rebecca. Men's eyes looked at the young girl like she was a piece of meat and Bonnie's eyes flashed when she heard that the girl was to be executed. With no trial.

"That Prince Nicklaus should rot in hell, he is a monster even worse than his father Michael, the butcher! Killing a young maid without so much as a trial!" Bonnie thought as her eyes traced the path of the sun in the sky.

"A few minutes more at the latest," an old man cheered next to Bonnie as she made her way to the front of the crowd. Not if I have anything to do with it, Bonnie thought.

Releasing a small bag of sleeping powder, she let it mix in the sky as everyone began to fall asleep one by one, and she dropped too dropped to the ground, following with her half closed eyes as the guards hurried to put on their masks and failed. Yet, the safer the better, she decided and it was another fifteen minutes before she stood up and let the shadows cover herself and the girl as she dragged the poor maid through the dark alleys of Mystic Falls, a town shrouded in death and magic.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Here's the next chapter of the story. Don't forget to review!**

 **The Jump**

 **Chapter Three**

When Elena woke, she thought she was home. The room was warm, and the bed was soft, and the smell of herbs and warm bread made her drowsy. She really thought it was just a bad dream or her biggest dream come true (who would not want to be in a story? Especially her own? The gallows, however, damn. Those were a nightmare! She knew her heroine , who she had based of herself, she knew it was pitiful, would not die but who was to say she had the same role here?) She thought that she was out of this mess, when her eyes few open and she realized that very so unfortunately, she was still trapped in the nightmare or the best moment of life, it was quite disturbing and difficult to judge honestly.

Gasping Elena sat upright, nearly banging her head on the low ceiling.

"Careful!" a soft voice said. A beautiful girl with long black hair and warm brown skin walked into the room, carrying a bowl that smelled a lot like the thick Chinese Herbal Medicine her mother would give to her when she was sick.

Elena blinked, shocked. It was Bonnie Bennett, the witch from her story! For a brief moment, Elena was stunned. Everything was happening a little too quickly.

"Are you all right?" Bonnie asked. "I'm Bonnie. You are…?"

"Elena," Elena replied or tried to but the name came out sounding different. Her lips formed the words Katherine.

Bonnie smiled kindly as she held the bowl up to Elena's lips. Elena took a quick sip, wanting to spit the liquid out. It tasted just as nasty as she thought it would be, but she forced herself to swallow. Immediately, warmth spread across her, making her feel even drowsier.

"That should work," Bonnie said, satisfied as she sat back. "Do you need anything else?"

"I'm good," Elena answered. "Thanks."

Bonnie laughed lightly as Elena slipped back to sleep.

* * *

When Elena woke again, it must have been the next day, because sunlight was streaming through an opened window, and there was this morning crispness in the air. There was a pretty dress laid out for her. It had a light, creamy pink top and bodice, and a rich blue skirt. She stood up cautiously, and took a few steps. She felt perfectly fine.

As quickly as she could, she undressed and changed into the dress. It was beautiful, fitting her perfectly, her story world felt like the perfect haven she always wanted at that moment, if only she had not made the tryant rulers but sadness made you appreciate happiness all the way more right? Not that you can't be happy without being sad but still and any case who likes rainbows popping unicorn books? Not she. And everyone loved a happy ending, which they would have, if things went her way, which depending on the way you looked at it, they were when they also weren't. She placed her pajamas aside, and felt almost sad. They were all torn and muddy, but it seemed as if they were the only tie she had to her life before this.

Elena folded her pajamas neatly and tucked them into a drawer. Hopefully she'd remember to take them out to wash them sometime.

Then, she walked out of the room, following the wonderful scent of baking bread and frying eggs.

* * *

Bonnie and Elena were soon seated together, shoveling down the best food Elena had ever eaten in ages. Once they placed the dishes away, they sat down; on opposite ends of the small square table, and over hot tea, Bonnie started introducing Elena to their world.

"I guess you're a traveler or someone like that. Anyway, our world isn't the best so far. We're just normal peasants, and we're all ruled by the Original Family. They include Elijah, Kol, and Finn Michaelson. They're all pretty mean, but compared to that brat Nicklaus and Rebekah Michaelson… Goodness sake. Rebekah kills anyone who's even remotely as pretty as she is, and Nicklaus… That brat forces us to…"

"…fight wars without pay, and is the worst being in the world." Elena finished.

Bonnie looked surprised. "You know that?"

"Y-yeah," Elena stuttered hastily. "I've heard a thing or two about him."

Bonnie nodded in agreement, standing up to get more tea. As Bonnie left to the kitchen, there was suddenly a horrible feeling. There was no hero in the story. Elena based the hero off herself, and so far, she hasn't even seen the hero yet, and was having her experiences and name, now that she was not shocked she realized that, and…

With a sinking feeling, Elena knew it. She didn't want to accept it, but she knew it.

She would have to be the hero of the story. While it would be absolutely amazing and everything, it would suck badly and be a pain too, and that was putting it mildly.

Bonnie soon came back, and they started chatting. Elena nodded, laughed, and made the right comments, but the realization made her stomach churn. Almost ridiculously, she wished that Stefan would be with her. She really did. It was such a foolish thought, but again, she just couldn't help it…She loved him, she could admit it here after all because Katherine always liked Damon, Damon who she had wanted to base off Stefan and their relationship had never the cat and rat game which Elena and Stefan had.

Elena groaned. Everything was screwed up and it was still perfect, in a twisted way and she felt this would drive her insane before the year ended.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the next update, hope you guys enjoy!**

 **The Jump**

 **Chapter Four**

They said my past was rooted in the Earth and there too would my future lay, but rising above burning towns and into the sky, I looked down at the Earth where nothing, not even my shadow lay, as I followed my destiny to its end and became much more than I was thought to be.

Elena knew that the life in the Original Lands was not easy. She knew it better than anyone else, especially the so called "King" Nicklaus and his family of wretches. The weather was always sunny and bright, seldom did rains come and winter was always short in the Original Lands. The peasants were poor and most people, even the royals died young of disease but those that survived lived to a great age. Unfortunately the Wretches as she called them fell under this category and were fearless for they did not wage many wars, except Nicklaus, the eldest who delighted in using people as fodder to canons to try and capture the Tribal Lands to the East. Mystic falls, was his summer capital and New Orleans he retreated to in winter when crop was scarce and delights of the city at peak during the Yuletide Months.

However, Nicklaus was not as fearless as he showed to his public, he lived in fear of any kind of witchcraft, and was determined to hunt witches to extinction and was not above slaughtering entire towns should they habour witches consciously or unconsciously and wizards seem to have disappeared off the face of the land. All this, almost everyone in the Lands knew but Elena knew much more. She knew the true fear behind the Witch Hunts, not of magic brining down destruction but of the Hunters of Magic, a tribe known to only a few apart from the tribe itself. Mostly they roamed in the guise of wizards from whom they had long ago descended, these Hunters did not have magic of their own but pulled them from Nature and the Earth. Klaus, feared them because the Eastern Tribes that he constantly wages war against were once the lands of these Hunters and they were a powerful tribe, skilled not only in magic but also use of swords and guns and spears. Their archery used to legend and still songs were sung about how they rode horses that ran faster than wind and were dark as night. He feared that the Tribes that he so wanted to avenged against, for their people had killed his Mother in a desperate bid for freedom, would seek help from these Hunters and bring down upon him ruin.

"Katherine?" Bonnie's soft voice awoke her from the slumber her thoughts had pulled Elena into.

"Katherine? Some of my people are here; they bring news from the town."

Opening one eye, Elena's heart leapt for sitting in front of her was The Council of Witches, a council of the most elite and stealthy witches in the town of the Mystical Falls, and the sight was a wonder to behold.

The room was lit only by the soft light of candles and sniffing her nose caught scent of several herbal aroma, one that instantly calmed her down, but the sight that drew her eyes were The Council themselves, with Bonnie at the head, a tiara of Spring Flowers at her feet and laurels atop her hair, the shadows seemed to gather around her and in them sat witches wrinkled and old but their eyes shown with power and the lips were often pulled back in snarls. It was the darkest gathering Elena had seen in all her life.

"She is a Witch," an old Witch hissed in the Old Witchen tongue, staring at Elena with suspicion but did none dared attack a guest in their Lady's Home, hallowed grounds where blood was never shed.

"She sees us, some magic must flow in her or else how could she make all our spells fade, none but a witch can look at another witch in a Witchen Gathering, no royal, no wolf and no man can see a magical, she is a hunter or a witch, the ancient laws of mages say this none but those within whose blood sparkles that magic of olden lore can see a witch when she is protected by a gathering of kin."

Bonnie nodded and looked so regal that it was difficult for Elena to see in her the same woman who in plain clothes had healed her the day before.

"Katherine?" Bonnie asked her and a warning rang clear in the word, speak or we will make you. To be put on spot like that would have frazzled anyone but a story weaver as Elena had often called herself and with her next words, she stepped further than the story ever had on her computer in her room back home in a different world.

"My Lady Bennet," Elena said with a down word deep of her head as was custom with the witches, "I am a magical but not a Witch and nor do I roam with the Hunters. I am called story weaver in the lands I am from, far across the mountains and the glades that bind the Original Lands and The Eastern Tribes of Midnight Wood. The magic that runs in my veins is that of telling stories, but that you could see in the race of man too for they sing tales, however, what makes me rare is my ability to tell everything that has happened to a person after a single glance, should the person be a chief of any tribe may it be of The Witches, The Hunters, The Royals, The Wolves, Men and Women or it be The Woodland creatures that make mischief and magic of their own, driving travelers stray and away from paths. I came upon these lands by a magical portal opened by error of time and place and I process little idea of how to return to where I was born and bred, but I know much of your Lands and the tidings in it."

Hearing all this Bonnie was puzzled but she knew that any show of weakness could result in death as many a witches grudged her her rule and would happily take over and then lead a fool's attack on the Royals, destroying their race, weak as it was.

"Lady Katherine, Story Weaver, I acknowledge the truth in your words and invite you to our gathering, binding you by a ancient's witches honour, should you ever attempt to harm, intentionally, our noble race, you life will be taken and your magic destroyed, removing all the essence that you had ever been. Now, what news has transpired except for the arrival of Lady Katherine here, since we last a week ago?"

A young witch answered, her green eyes shining with a mischievous twinkle that reminded Elena of Wood Elves that she had read about in the Lord of the Rings Books and looking carefully, Elena knew the young blonde was Liv, the youngest of the witches of Mystic Falls and a spy in the halls of the Royals.

"My lady Caroline grows ever eager to escape and she spends every moment she can away from the King but that usually leads us into the company of his sisters. Freya seems to be as hostile towards the King as ever and Rebecca still angry that Caroline is a prey she cannot kill. The others royals I have not much seen much but I hear strange whispers in the castle, nothing out of ordinary except for the last few days since the arrival of Lady Katherine," here Liv bowed at Elena who bowed back, "and the stranger that was scene in the old inn today. If I say so, I think Ladies Caroline and Freya might help us attack the King, curse his dark soul, and raise the witches, if our lady so allows fearlessly." The last part was said with a sneer but drowned in the other reports, much of the same fashion where the stranger seemed prominent and a strange hope rose in Elena, this was the time Damon would have come in the book, as she had written in a small extract the last night she had been home, of course how Katherine got the news of Damon's arrival she had not yet penned but it seemed interesting enough, if she thought of it from a reader's view point. Elena, shook her head, she was drifting off the point and turned her ear again to the reports all of which described the stranger, the descriptions ranger from abyssal, absurd and like a loafer who looked up to no good to a handsome fellow to a heart throb (that obviously was from the younger witches) but all the descriptions agreed on his dark mop of hair and grey eyes, as well the same outlandish clothes that Lady Katherine had worn.

"Maybe you know him my lady weaver?" Bonnie asked.

Fiddling with her fingers and almost bouncing in her seat Elena answered that she could perhaps take a look at him and should he have come from her land then he would be an invaluable ally. At the last two words most of the witches agreed to help Elena scout for the stranger but Bonnie looked at her distastefully. She unlike the others knew, they would need a greater strength in numbers or extreme power to wage war and win against Nicklaus, The Stone Heart. Like Elena, she had realized, their only hopes lay in stealth, something the witches were not particularly skilled at and any case the palace was a fortress, and a break or sneak in was as likely to happen as the death of the Old Immortal Wolf, the wolf lord who had lived for centuries since the dawn of the world. The witches of the Earth were unlikely to ever fly, Bonnie thought sadly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone. Here's the next update. Enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

 **The Jump**

 **Chapter Five**

Bonnie led Elena to the market, while the Witches stayed back at Bonnie's house.

Elena had been to many markets before. They were all loud and noisy, but this market… it seemed much louder than usual. Stalls were crammed, forming random clusters on the dusty clearing. People yelled at one another, carrying around baskets of vegetables and meat. Children shrieked as they chased each other, tripping everyone and knocking over things.

"Wow," Elena said, eyes wide. Everything seemed so… real.

"Yes," Bonnie laughed lightly. "I'll need to go pick up some fruit, and I'll look around for the foreigner. Can we meet each other here in about two hours?"

Elena nodded, as Bonnie disappeared into the crowd. For a brief moment, she just stood there, stunned. Would she be able to find that foreigner? Would she be able to find someone she knew?

Shaking her head, Elena stumbled forward. She found a few coins in her pockets, and bought an apple, eating as she walked. People urged her to buy their products, and she declined as politely as possible. She didn't want to be rude, but seriously. Did she really need a dirty brush that would 'turn her hair into liquid gold'? It was getting a little ridiculous.

Suddenly, Elena stopped. The apple core slipped from her hands and thumped onto the dirty ground.

There were two boys, leaning casually against a cart. Both were rather good-looking. One of them had spikey blond hair, sticking up, making him look quite boyish as he tossed hay into the cart. Another boy… that one had darker hair and paler skin, laughing easily, but his eyes flickered around warily.

Elena knew. She just knew that they were definitely the foreigners. But foreigners didn't really cover it. That boy... he looked so much... he acted so much like... Stefan? No, it couldn't be. Stefan was probably still at school or something, taking a science test, and having no freaking idea of who she is. No, it couldn't be Stefan. But again... Elena knew it. That boy... he was just too much like Stefan...

"Hey," Elena blurted out. The boys whirled around to meet her.

"Is there anything we can help you with?" the blond boy asked.

"Um…" Elena cleared her throat awkwardly. "Um… I'm just here to say hi," she finished lamely.

The dark-haired boy nodded curly, while the blond boy laughed.

"I… uh… guess I'll be leaving now." Elena said meekly, turning around. That went great. She just humiliated herself, and…

"Wait," the dark-haired boy said.

Elena peeked back hesitantly.

"I'm Damon. He's Matt." The dark-haired boy jabbed a thumb and the blond boy. "Do you want a drink?"

Damon. Not Stefan. He definitely wasn't Stefan... right?

"A drink?" Elena said blankly.

Damon chuckled. "Well… water, if you want to."

"Sure," Elena said, relieved. She hated the taste of the cheap beer people passed around during parties. They tasted awful. Plain old water sounded perfect.

Leaving Matt to finish loading the hay, Damon led Elena to a nearby bar. No one was there, choosing to enjoy the sun instead of hulking down in the shade. They sat on two empty bar stools, where Damon ordered some water for both of them. Elena reached for some coins to pay, but Damon beat her to it, tossing the bartender some money before Elena could even move.

"You're not from here." Damon said immediately, once the bartender was out of earshot. Elena nodded. She knew that 'not around here' actually meant 'not from this world'.

Damon exhaled. "Who are you?"

"I'm Katherine," Elena said quietly.

Damon nodded. "What do you know about this place?"

Suddenly, Elena found herself pouring her whole story out. She told him about writing the story, about suddenly appearing into this world, about everything. Damon was a really good listener, making the right comments at the right time. By the time she was done, she knew an hour must have passed, the very least.

"That's all very interesting." Damon said quietly. He opened his mouth to continue his part of the story…

"Hey!"

Both of them jumped, as Matt burst into the room, strands of hay stuck in his hair, as he beamed happily at them. "So… what are you guys talking about?"

Elena and Damon glanced uneasily at each other. Awkward topic, much?


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy!**

 **The Jump**

 **Chapter Six**

"We were talking about this book I am writing," Elena's mouth said while her brain tried to catch up to the movements her lips were making.

"Sounds interesting," Matt replied, pulling up a chair. He seemed to be oblivious of the glares Damon was giving him, trying to get the blonde to leave, so that he could get on with the story. While a part of Elena too wanted Matt to leave, another part, a deep part was excited to meet him, he just did not seem like any character in a book or another person here, she felt terrible for thinking of these people as characters but honestly could not stop; perhaps did not want to; and knowing that the boy was not going to leave, she decided to give in to that part and find out what so special about this boy seated in front of her.

"What's it about Katherine?" Matt asked leaning backward slightly, so that the sun hit his hair turning it into gold and his eyes seemed to be two different colours. At that moment it struck Elena like a thunderbolt. Matt, Matt Donovan, master of disguises and sheriff of the town she was now a member of. A supporter of witches to the boot.

A part of wanted to jump and hug him and tell him all she had thought of and for him and another, a cautious one which realized that she was now Katherine, the heroine of the book, and she had a part to play, but first she had to make sure this was the same Matt and then bring the story on track while still changing stuff for the better. Better to take a road which is dangerous if you know the dangers than to travel on a new path with your foreknowledge useless and most probably new and worse dangers lying in wait for you.

"Well," Elena fumbled about for a moment, before saying, "It's about this girl called Elena," she was surprised at how easy her name came out then, but if she tried to say she was Elena, the word Katherine would roll off her tongue.

"She's in love with this man called Stefan," here she could see Damon's expression tighten for a moment, a change only someone whose trained to notice a person will be able to catch and her heart seemed to jump, this was Stefan! In that moment, he looked so much like the boy she had left back home that she was reminded of her wish. The wish she had made before she had gone to sleep that night, a wish to bring her someone form the world she had grown up in, just to know it was real and the powers above had brought Stefan or should she say Damon?

"Well, what else?" Matt's voice interrupted her thoughts and she smiled. It looked like she had found her hero, she recalled when she had first begun writing she knew the hero would look like Stefan, just like Katherine would resemble Elena. She had just never reached the point where she fleshed out the character of either of her leads, everyone else she had down to a tee, but for her leads she only had in mind, Stefan and I. Maybe, it was her characters coming true. Stefan and I indeed.

"Katherine?" Elena jerked up and smiled at Matt, before beginning to weave a tale of their world, trying to keep any mentions of Elena's writing out, all the while watching the boy she had created and the boy she loved out of the corner of her eyes. One question still roamed in her mind, will Damon love Katherine? And will Stefan?

"That's all I have for now," Elena said stopping and watching Damon's slight sigh of relaxation. He had stilled like a stone carving during her story, sometimes giving clipped input and making remarks of the flirtiest kind; shocking her; but mostly both her boys listened. Her boys? She asked herself, when a voice screamed, "Donavan!" and Matt waved goodbye before heading towards the bar where Sherriff Trip was standing and Elena breathed out a sigh of relief, he was the correct Matt and more importantly she had just, quite unintentionally figured out how Katherine and Matt were going to meet. Now that she was here, while enjoying and endangering herself, if she worked on her book a bit, would it really be wrong? Especially if she had the permission of the characters involved and a magic to make sure none she harmed was harmed in reality.

"Elena?" Damon's voice shook her out of her stupor, before he gestured to the outside. Standing up, she ran a hand down her skirt, smiled at Matt and left hanging on Damon's arm as he had oh so graciously offered it to her. Her brain was gauging the direction his seemed to be taking and despite this she was still a bit shocked and maybe a little scared; though that was almost negligible; when he pulled her into a "couple's corner."

"Elena, do the people in your book know the language I speak," he asked in French and despite half expecting him to understand it all, a part of her was shocked that he did it so quickly and she shook her head no.

"Elena, this is it isn't it? We are in a book? Your book?" he fired in French and she nodded looking at him and hoping that Stefan was really the correct person to be Katherine's Damon. She need not have feared, her heart had been correct.

Leaning in slightly, he told her his story, how he had woken up in a field like her and then whenever he had tried to say his name it came out as Damon, truly shocking him but then Matt found him and knowing he had no other choice, he decided to accept the strange name and follow the sheriff, hoping that he might something in the market that would help him, promising himself if he did not, he would explain everything truthfully to Matt. He also wanted to know more about Matt but all she told him was that Matt was a good and wonderful guy and that she would have to leave soon before Bonnie though she got lost.

"Bonnie, the Bonnie?" he asked still in French and she nodded again. It seemed to becoming something of a tradition among them, she had while telling him about the story explained a lot about the Benet witch, both written by her hand and witnessed by her eyes. However, before he could reply, they heard sound of the royal carriage and Damon, Stefan, leaned in towards her, rushing his French and saying, "Let's look like we are kissing, I am not ready for them to see your face yet, they would perhaps know that you are their little escapee witch," and then his face was so close to hers that they were breathing the same air and their eyes were locked together. Elena was sure at the angle they were standing; to any passerby it would look like they are busy. The alley was a one Way Street, only escape was going in the tyrant's way or scaling a wall which if caught would lead them to twenty floggings each but this they both knew was the safest. The tyrants would never come this way but no one who saw them would be suspicious of them just standing there. A part of her knew that there were thousand other ways but at the moment she could not think.

A few seconds later when it sounded like the carriages were gone, Stefan, Damon, turned to leave but not before arranging to meet in the same place and saying, "You know Elena, from your story I gathered, that this Elena girl had a crush on someone, perhaps someone named Stefan?"

Elena's started, eyes wide, as she walked away a half smug smile on his lips, because she knew she had just mentioned Stefan in the passing in her story, not saying the name of Mr. Popular would ring bells in his head after all since he knew the story she was telling just as well, but she had never avoided him or stressed on him, so how the ruddy hell had he known?

Never mind, she resolved, walking out from the alley. I have bigger things to worry about.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, everyone! Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy!**

 **The Jump**

 **Chapter Seven**

"Hey! Elena!"

Elena turned around, and to her immense relief, it was Bonnie. Bonnie looked slightly disheveled and out of breath.

"Hey, where were you?" Bonnie wheezed. "I was looking for you everywhere!"

"Sorry," Elena said sheepishly. "I just made a few new friends, kind of lost track of the time."

"No worries, then!" Bonnie said airily, rolling her shoulders back. "Let's get home."

Elena nodded. Home sounded nice, especially after all of the chaos.

Bonnie led Elena through the alleys of the market, back to a small corner where she hid a few baskets of groceries behind a stack of hay. They picked the baskets up and started on their way home.

In moments, Elena felt her arms straining. Honestly, those baskets were heavy. Well, yes, she wasn't exactly terrible in PE, but those baskets were getting ridiculously heavy. While waiting for a cart to rumble by, Elena peered in to see what in the world was weighing the basket down. Vegetables, eggs, a bit of meat, and ah… at the bottom was a massive sack of flour.

Elena wiped some sweat off her face and changed arms. Now that felt so much better. But why did she still feel so… strange? It was as if she needed to remember something, but somehow couldn't…

The cart passed, and Bonnie and Elena continued their way. Halfway across the road, everything went wrong.

There was a shout.

"Move, move! The Original family's coming!"

Immediately, everyone snapped to attention, jostling and tearing away from the road. Children were swept away by frantic parents, while booths and stalls were hastily shoved back. In seconds, the road was clear. The people stood by the side, watching anxiously.

Bonnie hurried to the side. Elena followed, but suddenly, she was tugged back. The basket swung, and thrown off balance, Elena tumbled to the ground.

"Are you all right?" Bonnie called.

Elena grunted, getting to her feet. A sharp plank of wood jutting from the ground caught on her skirt. Elena tugged, but the skirt was made of some seriously tough material, because it didn't break.

"I'm stuck!" Elena cried desperately.

And that was when she remembered. If the plot remained the same, then… oh no…

Suddenly, there was a crack of a whip, followed by the pounding of hooves and the rattling of a carriage. The people fell to their knees immediately, faces to the ground.

The Originals were coming.

"Help!" Elena screamed.

Four black stallions burst into view, rearing and whinnying, pulling a majestic carriage the size of a small house. It was painted a beautiful snowy white, laced with gold and edged with precious stones. Against the grime of the road, it was like a dove flying within a flock of crows.

Elena looked up desperately. She caught a glimpse of three faces in the carriage: a lean, long face with a smirking smile, a stocky man with hard eyes, and finally, a stunning blond girl with eyes that should belong to a cold-hearted snake. Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah. The tyrants, the cause of all the pain and suffering.

With each passing second, the carriage came closer and closer. The peasants stared at the ground in despair. Bonnie looked frantic, but with the carriage blocking her way, Bonnie could do nothing to help.

And Elena… Elena was doomed. She should have remembered the plot. She should have steered clear from the road, waited until the Originals passed, and then take her time and stroll across. And thanks to her stupid, forgetful memory, she was going to be crushed under that cart, and wave good-bye to… well… everything, really.

"Hey! Move!"

Elena felt herself shoved aside. A knife flashed, slicing away a fistful of cloth. A hand grabbed hers, and the two of them tumbled into the crowd just as the carriage hurtled past, smashing into the basket Elena had left behind. Eggs splattered everywhere, and for a second, the air was filled with the flour as it rained down on everyone.

Elena groaned, hauling herself up. Bonnie's jaw dropped with shock.

"Are you all right?"

Elena saw a really pretty girl with waves of blond hair picking herself up from the ground.

"I'm great, thanks," Elena said numbly. "Thanks for saving my life."

"No problem!" the girl said, a little too cheerfully. "Who are you?"

"Katherine," Elena said.

"Nice to meet you," the girl held out a hand. "I'm Caroline."


	8. Chapter 8

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Eight**

Caroline…

Elena swallowed a gasp. Oh yes, she definitely remembered her. Caroline was one of her main characters, one of the best she's ever created. Inwardly… it was almost like meeting a movie star… who had just saved her sorry life.

"Cool," Elena managed.

Caroline beamed, as Bonnie rushed over, dusting off Elena's skirts, hands flying with worry. Around them, the villagers stopped ogling and went back to what they were doing, though a few of them did glance enviously at Caroline's bravery.

"Come on, then." Bonnie said. "Caroline, would you like to come back to our home? Maybe have some tea?"

"Sure!" Caroline said brightly.

Without further ado, the three friends: one bright and cheerful, the other flustered and fretting, and the last one in numb shock, walked back home.

* * *

The second Elena walked back into the cottage, she collapsed onto the chair. Caroline walked in, ooh-ing at the simple but cozy structure and homely mood. Bonnie immediately headed to the kitchen, returning with three mugs of chamomile tea and a small plate of biscuits.

"Oh, I need that," Elena said immediately, dipping a cookie into the mug before stuffing it in her mouth, smiling at the nutty and vanilla taste of it. "Thanks!"

"No problem," Bonnie said, sipping at her tea.

Caroline laughed lightly as she took a cookie. "So… how's everything going so far?"

In moments, they were chatting away, laughing and joking around, while feasting on Bonnie's cookies. Soon, the fear and worry of the previous accident faded away. Caroline must have stayed for hours, but time didn't matter. They were too happy to care, really.

Suddenly, there was a sharp rapping on the door.

Caroline's cookie dropped onto the floor, exploding into a mess of crumbs. Her face paled dramatically, and her smile froze.

"Caroline?" Elena asked, concerned.

"Not so loud!" Caroline hissed. Her eyes were wide with panic. "Is there somewhere I can hide?"

"Y-yes," Bonnie stuttered. "There's a small shed in the back, and if you lift a section of the floor, you'll find a large compartment, empty, I hope."

"Good," Caroline said. "And… please don't tell them I'm here!"

With that, Caroline scampered out the back door.

"What's going on?" Bonnie asked worriedly.

"The dangerous part of the story," Elena said grimly.

The person at the door knocked again, this time more urgently. Sharing one more fear-filled glance, Bonnie and Elena opened the door.

Two soldiers stood there, their chainmail glinting in the sunset. Both of them looked sweaty and tired, and the swords gleaming at their hips didn't make them look friendly.

"Is there anything we can help you with?" Bonnie asked, her voice at least an octave higher than normal.

One of the soldiers held up a small scroll of paper. On it was a crudely drawn picture of Caroline, but there was no mistaking the rosy face and blond tresses.

"We're looking for her," one soldier explained. "Have you seen her around here?"

"No, sorry," Bonnie said, politely but firmly. "No one's been here recently."

"Are you sure?" the other soldier scowled. "Do you realize how much trouble you can get, lying to the servants of the law?"

"We're fully aware of that," Elena said coldly, glad at how steady her voice was. "Trust me; I wouldn't be risking my neck here. We haven't seen this girl, or we would have told you right away."

The soldiers scowled, and walked away, muttering, "the trail must have gone cold."

Bonnie slammed the door shut, collapsing against it. Caroline snuck back in, pale and trembling.

"Who was that?" Bonnie whispered.

Caroline pursed her lips. "I… I'm not who I seem to be."

"Yeah, you could say that," Bonnie laughed weakly.

"Yeah…" Caroline forced a smile on her face. "I'm not an ordinary farmer girl. I'm a…"

Elena nodded encouragingly.

"I'm a princess."


	9. Chapter 9

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Nine**

"Which tribe?" Bonnie breathed out, not once denying Caroline's proclamation. Her heart thudded in her chest, if Caroline was loyal to the Originals, Bonnie, Bonnie would have to kill her. Kill this sweet, joyous girl, whose life she had just saved. Or she had thought she saved a dark part inside her whispered. What is she was a spy planed in her home? But why would one do that, what purpose would it achieve? None suspected her of witch craft but with the Original family who could say anything?

"The Carriers," Caroline replied, looking down, a feeling of resignation washing over her. She would lose these girls, like all her friends back home, once she told them who she was meant to wed. Granted, these were commoners and her friends had been royals but they were the first who had treated her like a person in this wretched kingdom. From the moment she had entered, Elena's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Why are you here Caroline? If the Prince comes to know he will kill you and mount your head on the palace doors as a trophy." Her words were tinged with bitterness, sorrow but unlike many people there was no hate. If anything, there was resignation in there too. Seeing one of her favourite characters lost in thought, Elena had guiltily tried to speed the conversation along, after all she had to go find Damon once she was done here.

"He won't do that. I," Caroline stopped tears and anger gathering on her beautiful face, "I am here to be his bride." She finished hastily and added, just as fast, "but I hate him. He is so cruel to those weaker than him, he treats me like an object that has been forced on him, and to be honest I am forced on him. His father the late King Mikael, may he rot in afterlife, had forced my father on my mother's deathbed to agree to our marriage. Klaus hates me and I him. I know he loves another woman, he never leaves a chance to gloat about how much better she is to me, some woman called Camille. I wish, I too had someone to love, my family is dead and the only way I can save my people from being slaughtered is to marry this tyrant, because the Nobel Elijah," here he voice turned sarcastic, "would not let Nicklaus attack either his wife or her kingdom. How I hate the entire lot of them! From fair Rebecca to the Guard Marcel, I wish I could burn them down for what they have done to my people and me." There was silence for a moment until Bonnie spoke and was she surprised by her own words.

"I don't think you can blame all of them for what Mikael has done to you Princess Caroline. Forgive my speaking out like this, and tyrants they are but I don't really think we should judge them all by sins of their father and the hate he brewed in them I wish for them to burn too, for what they have done but hearing your words, made me realize it was not so much the present royals as the late King and Queen who are the source of our troubles. Had Esther not condemned the entire kingdom with her black arts, perhaps Klaus would not have started to execute witches, in fear of what ruination magic might bring next. Maybe, maybe we should all give them a chance."

Elena smiled, it seemed things were looking up for the Originals because out of the people here, only she knew who they really were.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Ten**

Elena stared at the ceiling from her bed of hay, thinking hard. She had met Damon again today but only for a few brief seconds, because Damon had to go look at a job offer as they would call it back home. The town sheriff needed an apprentice, whom she could train. There were few people in the department, the most surprising being the cheerful Matt, who also worked at the public house on Sunday evenings. The others were a strange bunch consisting of a man named Vincent; he had helped save a bunch of kids from his psycho ex- girlfriend Eva, who at the moment was in a mental institute with zero chances of return; another man whose name Damon hadn't managed to quite catch and thus dubbed the Quite Fox, followed by the Sheriff herself. Elizabeth "Liz" Forbes. She was old with washed blonde hair and the only one from the group apart from Vincent whom Damon respected. Town Folks called her no nonsense Liz, but age seemed to have caught up with her and she wanted a worthy detective to take her place. That was the public story, of course, since both Matt and Vincent were trained enough to replace her but what the department really wanted was someone who could go undercover everywhere and only Elena knew everywhere would at one point become the royal houses.

"This story is picking up," she thought sighing softly as she shifted in the hay. She knew or at least had a rough idea of how things would go and while that both excited and scared her, her mind was on other things at the moment. Things that went by the names Damon and Stefan, because the more time she spent with the haughty, almost rude and extremely handsome young man, the more she could see Stefan in him. She would have declared it part of her imagination had it not been for the word he had said in parting that day.

"Elena."

Her name. A name which no one knew in this word. What were the odds that the man who gets the position, Katherine's love interest in the story would have had knows her name which only people in her world knew and was based on Stefan but wasn't Stefan? Ridiculously low.

Turning around, Elena clenched her eyes shut. She knew of a thousand places Katherine and Damon's story could go, after all when she had entered the novel, she was just on the first page, but what about Elena and Stefan? Would he even remember this if this was real and not a dream? And if he did then what? Was their relationship a product of fiction or would Stefan reject what Damon would accept? Would Damon even like her?

Feeling utterly wretched, she decided her love life wasn't the most important at the moment and closed her eyes again. After all, she had bigger things to worry about like Bonnie and Care and the future, which would be explained by her how? Seer? Ha!

For just a moment, she wished that when she opened her eyes she would wake up in her own bed, why did she ever wish to enter a story? But then the moment passed and she realized that she loved this opportunity, how many authors and readers got to interact with some of their favourite fictional characters? This journey would be hard but as Gandalf had said, home is behind and the world ahead.

With those words Elena Gilbert from New York and Katherine Pierceson of The Original Lands went off to sleep. A sleep that was broken by a scream with the approaching dawn.


	11. Chapter 11

**Here's the next chapter. Please review! Reviews make us very happy! :D**

 **The Jump**

 **Chapter Eleven**

Elena lunged up from the bed, stumbling around in panic. She literally tore off her coat from the rack beside the bed, shoving her arms through the holes, and rushing out of the room. Her bare feet slapped against the smooth floorboards as she sprinted out the door.

"Damon! What happened?" Bonnie shrieked.

Elena grabbed the doorframe, gasping for breath. Bonnie brushed past her, her face creased in worry. Caroline followed, propping Damon up between them.

Damon looked terrible. His face was dripping with cuts, and his knuckles were grazed with scratches. He reeked of smoke and beer, and for a moment, Elena was filled with fear. This wasn't a part of the book. Or more accurately… it was… but it was all half-planned. She could still remember the scene, but it was all blurred. Maybe with Damon being there… it definitely altered quite a bit of the storyline.

"Bar fight," Damon grunted. "I went there to deliver some supplies. Got there just in time for a few drunk guys to pounce."

"Oh dear…" Bonnie fretted, helping Damon into the room and sitting him down on the couch.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Elena asked anxiously, following them into the house.

"Can you get a glass of water? It'll be easier for him to swallow the herbs," Bonnie said as she bustled through cabinets and cupboards.

Elena nodded, and filled a glass full of water. Her hands trembled as she handed it to Damon.

Bonnie turned around. Her hands were full of little pellets, and the pungent smell of medicine soon filled the small room. Thank goodness the door was still open, allowing fresher air to wash away the stink of herbs.

"Looks nasty," Damon said sourly.

"Yeah, well they're the ones helping you heal, so eat up." Bonnie ordered. Caroline nodded approvingly.

Damon grimaced, but swallowed the medicine.

After that, Bonnie cleaned his wounds and made sure everything was clean and neat before settling herself down. Elena placed herself on a small stool, and Caroline took a seat beside her.

"Um…" Elena hesitated. "Can I ask you a question?"  
"Sure," Damon said. He sounded surprisingly good for someone who had just come out of a brawl.

"Did you win?" Elena asked meekly.

Damon burst out laughing. "Of course!"

"Really?" Caroline said, arching her eyebrows.

"What do you think?" Damon chortled. "I will never be beaten by some random drunkards who have no idea how to even throw a single, freaking punch…"

Damon trailed off as he stared through the open door. Bonnie's jaw dropped in shock.

A farmer was standing there, looking into the house through the open door. But he wasn't staring at them. The farmer was staring at the leftover herbs and medicine scattered on the table and all over the floor.

"Witch!" the farmer bellowed. He took off like a deer, loping towards the village. "I saw them! I saw them use witchcraft and alchemy! They're witches!"

Bonnie swore, sweeping the crumbs off of the table and throwing it into the fireplace.

"That won't help," Elena said sadly as she remembered what was going to happen next in the story.

"It will," Bonnie said fiercely. "Without proper evidence, they can't blame us…"

"Yes," Damon agreed.

Damon… Elena remembered what was going to happen next. They were all going to be arrested, but in the original story, Damon wasn't there. Now that Damon was there… if they all fought… they should be able to escape! Despite everything, Elena found her shoulders relaxing and a smile creeping up her face.

"Look!" Caroline shouted. Everyone glanced up to see the familiar armor of Original soldiers, marching towards their home.

Bonnie took a deep breath as she straightened her shoulders and walked forward, full of purpose and pride. Damon and Elena followed. Caroline looped a shawl around her head, staying behind them, so that the Original soldiers couldn't see her clearly.

"Good morning," Bonnie's voice was cold and formal.

"You see," the first soldier said. His voice wasn't nice at all. "I'd usually be really nice to pretty young ladies like you, but since you're a witch…" his face turned into a mask of pure nastiness. "Since you're a witch, we are going to see you burn."

The line of soldiers lunged forward, ropes in their hands and leering grins on their faces.

"Stop!" Bonnie shouted. "You have no proof…"

"We don't need proof," the first soldier sneered. "Even if you aren't a witch, it's always better safe than sorry to burn you just in case."

"No! We're not witches!" Bonnie pleaded, but no one heard her. The guards came on them like a wave, ropes flying. In moments, Bonnie was bound head to toe, screaming.

Caroline and Damon roared, lunging forward, fists swinging. Punches and kicks were soon being thrown around, and suddenly, the peaceful clearing erupted into chaos. Elena stood back. She knew she should be helping, but she was numb, numb with shock and fear. Suddenly, she began to doubt. What if Damon wasn't enough? What if they were caught and captured anyway?

Rough hands grabbed her from behind. Elena screamed, kicking and squirming, but her wrists were wrenched tightly together, and the delicate skin was soon chafed by a rough length of rope.

Around her, Damon and Caroline weren't doing too well either. Caroline was also tied up and Damon… Damon was wrestling with another soldier, and they were rolling into the woods, fists flying, and no sign of stopping.

No. No. No. Elena felt a sob building up her throat. She was so stupid. She thought Damon was strong enough to protect all of them. But he wasn't strong enough. She didn't blame him. Damon tried his best. It was all her fault. She should have told them to run instead of standing there like fools and fighting. It was all her fault.

"Leave them to finish the fight," the first soldier ordered. "We'll take the three women to the castle first."

"What will you do to us?" Caroline screamed.

"The witch," the guard nudged Bonnie. "She'll burn. The other girl…" Elena shuddered as he glared at her. "She'll be a slave for life in the castle. And you… you, Princess Caroline, will go back like a good little bride and stay with His Majesty, Klaus, for the rest of your sorry little life."


	12. Chapter 12

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Twelve**

Bonnie groaned as she awoke, the ground moving beneath her. Was it another earthquake? Scared, she tried to open her eyes but encountered darkness and the feel of a blindfold. Where was she? Was in some sort of a carriage? Who had her? Desperately, she tried to move but her hands and feet were bound. Closing her eyes, she tried to recall what had happened but unconscious had already pulled her in again.

* * *

"Move slave! Witch friend! Worthless trash!"

The soldier's harsh words were accompanied by stabs and smacks in the back. Her hands were tied in front of her and there was a gag in her mouth as they progressed through the village. She tried to hold her head high but every time she tried to lift it, the soldier would give her a swift kick, resulting in her kissing dirt. Thankfully, none of the two soldiers accompanying her recognized her from the gallows, it seemed like Bonnie's hair colour had worked. She had died Elena's dark brown hair to a pure midnight black and given her appropriate clothes to wear, making sure no one in the Original Lands would be able to recognize her. Damon had because she really did not look all that different from "Elena" but none in the Original Lands' "witch hunters" had ever seen her without her other worldly clothes and so she was safe from execution at least and she knew Bonnie would escape. It was Caroline and herself she feared for because their fates depended on Damon and themselves, she really had not fully developed the story and now it was taking the twists and turns she had imagined to a horrific new length. It was all what she thought of but much more fleshed out.

Suddenly the guard ahead of her stopped in a deserted alley and grinned at her, sending shivers down her spine. Her hands and feet were in chains, and he had the chain, she could neither run not scream. Fighting with him seemed like her only option, she realized, terror filling as he moved towards her while flinging the chain towards his partner. How she wished, she had been knocked unconscious like Bonnie and Caroline and stuffed in a carriage, instead of being forced to walk. The one holding the chain pulled hard, causing her to trip as she tried to get away and se fearfully looked up at the two men, her mind running through futile defense strategies.

* * *

Damon thought of nothing as he punched the soldier in front of him, overpowering the man easily. Getting up, he looked around where they were, it seemed they had rolled off the hill where Bonnie lived and into the forest. Which way was outside? In their tussle, the pitiful soldier and he seemed to have messed up all tracks. Who knew where the girls were now? How long had they been gone? Sighing, he realized he would have to break into the castle if he did not find the girls before they reached the palace.

Picking up a random direction, Damon began to run, eyes fixed on the ground, trying to follow the trail of destruction left behind by the fight but today was not his day, his injuries begin to catch up with him. He has not slept for almost twenty hours but that is nothing e decides as he runs faster. The girls need him, Elena, Katherine whoever she is needs him. Slowing down to a walk, when the limp he has become bothersome Damon reaches the edge of the forest, finally looking at the dim light of dawn and wondering where his girls. Because they are his, no matter how little he has known them. His friends. And he would tear apart the universe to find them, but before he can do that, he has to face the arrow aimed at him.

* * *

Caroline opened her eyes and looked at the figure sitting on the edge of her bed. She was back in "her" room of the palace, a nursery really.

"Awake are we?" Princess Rebecca asks her. Sometimes Caroline thinks they could be sisters, with the same blonde her and pale skin. Though Becca, as she liked to be called was certainly taller and there was an air about her, an aura that vastly differed from Caroline's. Becca was probably the only one Caroline could tolerate in this god forsaken place, though she had yet to meet many people here, including Klaus' love. How she wished that poor woman would agree to marry Klaus and Elijah would let them marry so that she Caroline could be free.

"Care," Becca called her and she look into dark almost black blue eyes.

"There is something you need to know Care. It's about your mother."


	13. Chapter 13

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

When Bonnie awoke again, there was air under her feet and she could feel her arms pulled up and tied together with some cold metal. There was stone beneath her fingers and she sighed. She was in a dungeon, perhaps even the palace dungeons. She kept ending up in this place didn't she? Knowing it was futile to try and move, what with all the chains wrapped around her hands and feet securing them in place and the blindfold over her eyes, Bonnie Bennett closed her eyes and willed herself back to sleep. Her demons could stay in the past as far as she was bothered.

* * *

"My mother?"

"Yes Carol. Your mother. Lady Elizabeth of the carriers, also known as my aunt."

"Your aunt?" the shorter woman asked, hoping that her friend was joking. It made no sense, how could she even be related to the royal family of the Original Lands? And if by any stretch of imagination she was related to them then why would she never tell her daughter? The silence which her friend did nothing to break seemed to increase the shock level in the room as well as the incredulity of the situation. Even though Becca had her serious face on, Carolina hoped she would just burst out laughing and tell her it was all a joke.

"Becks? Say something please."

"Oh Caroline! I think I should you everything from the start, my mother Esther and yours Elizabeth were twins, but as different in personality as could be. They had an older sister though, one named Dahlia who died as a child. After that, well, the twins grew closer than ever before. Aunt Elizabeth was supposedly a fun child, full of energy and always playing jokes but she was a staunch protector of those who needed her help or support. Mother, on the other hand, she was a quiet child who loved to sing and dance. Things went downhill when Mother met Father. She was just sixteen when their match was fixed. Everyone was glad that a daughter of the dying tribe of magic had been chosen by the king to be the prince's bride, but Father was no satisfied with just one sister. He wanted both and well, he had his ways. Aunt Liza was so traumatized that she lost her memory. However, the tribal leader knew what Father had done and she knew they could not risk Aunt Liza's memory returning. I don't know what happened but Aunt Eliza must have escaped, which was realized as soon as Mother insisted that her sister had not died because their twin bond was active. They led a hunt for your mother Care and well knowing her memory could never come back, they cursed her but that curse unknown to them did not work until a long time later, only because of the twin bond of which little is known as twins are so rare in magical tribes. Mother's magic pulled the curse towards herself as much as she could until her brain broke. Everyone thought the loss of her sisters, parents, our younger brother Henrick and the pain of a broken bond drove her insane, but it was the curse in reality which all these unfortunate events just seemed to heighten. Mother became Father's puppet."

By the time Rebecca finished, the two cousins were almost growling in anger. Rebecca's eyes had turned icy and cold while Caroline's blue orbs shone with anger. However, buried under all that was silent sob, a strong grief and a huge desire for unattainable revenge.

* * *

Damon looked at the man who could kill him in seconds. Small part of him wondered if this man would kill will he end up back in the world of cars and popularity as Stefan but another part worried about what was happening with the girls, especially Elena or Katherine or whoever she was. She held the answers he needed, he knew it and he had to keep the three of them safe. It was a feeling that went further than any instinct he had before, he just knew he had to keep those three girls, because all of them were too young to men and women, safe. The same instinct that knew they did not need his protection urged him to keep them safe. Yes, he sometimes wondered if he was insane but now was not the time to dwell on thoughts such as this. The girls might need his help escaping. Assuming a nonchalant pose, one that kept the on edge ready to run at a moment's notice part of him under wraps, he looked at the man in front of him. Dark hair matted with dirt and forest green eyes, at times the man almost seemed to shift and blend into the forest. Behind the man he could see a dirt road, perhaps the one that led him in this god forsaken forest in the first place and in the distance he could see the hill which housed Bonnie's cottage.

"Who are you?" Damon noticed that the man seemed to solidify as he spoke and narrowed his eyes. Was he a wizard? A werewolf or a vampire? A forest mage? Man, the amount of fantasy stories Stefan read was now giving him ideas and shivers down his spine. What sort of a mystical creature was this man? Hoping not to anger the being in front of him and yet cautious Damon answered,

"Joey, Joey Bing."

* * *

Elena scooted back, trying in vain to free the chains holding her from the guards' hands but the men held firm. She was practical enough to know that any effort spent in trying to free herself from the chains was effort wasted and yet she did that too in a last ditch effort. Terror was clawing at every inch of her when the guards pinned her hands up and she continued trying to squirm, kick, punch, and do something as she felt his hand creep up her face. No, no, no, not this was all she could think, I never meant for this to happen. Screaming was useless as was trying to get away and Elena kept shaking her head a she tried anyway to get away from this somehow, when her hand clenched around the chains and in her desperation she slowly wrapped it around her wrist, trying her hardest to ignore the guards' words and actions and the hands that were now creeping up her…Elena focus, she screamed at herself as she felt pressure on her wrist and yanked as hard as could, bringing down on guard, who fell off her and onto the street before she swung the chain at the other. Why hadn't she thought of this before? She asked herself as the guards' grasp loosened enough for her to get the chains away from them. Leaving, the two groaning and half conscious men behind, Elena ran, thinking that this was very much a nightmare, as the chins clanked with each step she took making stealth useless. A nightmare in which she was stuck doing an impression of the Canterville Ghost.

* * *

"Joey Bing?" the man-being growled and the hair on the back of Damon's neck stood at attention. Whatever this thing was Damon now realized, it was...not unnatural really but mystic and powerful. He got the feeling that if this man wanted he could rip Damon in half and not even break a sweat.

"Yes. Joey Bing, though I usually prefer Jo because let's face it Joey? I have no idea what my Mom was thinking, I am pretty sure she was high or something when she named me," Damon responded when the being's eyes narrowed at the silence, the cockiness almost second nature to him. A smirk graced his features as his pose clamed even more. This was his territory, he thought, after all you couldn't be Damon Salvatore and not love a challenge.

"What kind of name is that? Stop lying Bing and tell me what are you doing in my forest, haven't you been told the tales of the region? That none who enter my domain may leave?" the being voice surged with power and Damon half expected the wind to pick up. He was disappointed. Not even a twig moved. So much for those supernatural movies, he thought sadly as he readied his feet to run.

"Really? Well, sorry to say I haven't heard anything remotely like that but then who knows I am new to this shack of a city. Are all places in this world so much of a dump? I mean the tavern doesn't even good ale! And the beer," Damon continued shaking his head slowly, "the beer is just…let's not even go there."

"To answer your question though, Joey Bing is my kind of a name, one that your mother supposedly thought suited my awesome self. As to what I am doing here? I got into a fight when soldiers tried to kidnap my sister and her friends when the three got some herbs from the market. Cant people make soup without being accused of witchcraft anymore?"

"You lie and yet your words are true. Tell me, stranger, why do you hide your true name? Who is this you are trying to protect? She is your sister but of bond and not blood. Tell me, Joey Bing," here the being's face twisted into a smirk and the words dripped with sarcasm, "would you accept the help of evil to save her? And her, the one you don't yet know you love and the third who slips out of your thoughts, save for the other two."

Damon instantly became alert, this creature seemed to know much more than he thought it would and the way he unraveled Damon's words was a horror movie in itself. Deciding it time to get the hell out of here, he began to speak again while trying to inch towards the dirt road. Who knows, maybe once he was out of the forest, he would be free of this, whatever it was.

"Well, how do I know you are going to help me protect her and sorry but you don't really look or sound evil to me so, give me a reason why I should tell anything to you?"

"Because like the witches, we are creatures of the earth, creatures of the hunt unlike them who pull from deaths the magic of creation, well pull from it the precision of the hunt, no witch can ever a member of the moonlight hunt and should one of our ever attempt to harm or slay a being of magic, we are forever condemned our will a slave to the witch's magic, our learning theirs to manipulate. Go stranger, and next full moon you will have the hunt beside you to save the women and bring back to the heights creatures of the earth."

'Thanks man," Damon replied, walking off when he heard the being speak again.

"A man, it's been a long time since I have been referred to as a man. I am a being of the hunt, the forest rages through me and only when the moon is full can I leave the forest but should I not been back among trees before the starless night then I will be rendered mortal till the next moon spent among the tomes of the earth. A long time since I have become a mortal man, waiting for the time when my purpose comes when I need mortality again, when losing some powers of the hunt, the price of departure from the trees which give us the strength, when the curse of the wolf seem like a little price to pay for the earth's pain to cease. Take heed Damon Salvador, none leaves the forest without being tested and you may have cleared one obstacle but many more lie in life's path for all. Tyler will help your cause but it may or may not be the one enough to draw me into mortality fully again. Take heed, for darkness lies before you and so does love."


	14. Chapter 14

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

Bonnie woke up to the sound of metal clinking quietly on floor. Blearily, she opened her eyes, and she snapped awake in shock. There was a small loaf of fresh bread on the metal feeding bowl, along with a portion of stew. It wasn't much, barely a few mouthfuls, but she could see the steam wafting from it, rising into the chilly air.

Bonnie glanced up to see a guard stepping back. He was very good-looking, with neat black hair and a handsome face.

"Eat quickly," he said.

Bonnie nodded, and grabbed the bowl. She crammed the food down her mouth, and moaned in pleasure. The bread was a little dry, and the stew was lacking flavor, but it was the best food she had ever eaten in her entire life. After a minute, every drop of gruel and every crumb of bread had been devoured.

"Thank you," Bonnie said. Her voice sounded clearer, stronger.

"Don't thank me." The guard said quietly. "They're planning to execute you tomorrow."

The bowl clattered to the ground. The hot food she had just eaten suddenly turned into stone in her stomach.

She was going to die tomorrow.

Bonnie shuddered. The chill returned to her, and she shivered on the floor. Tears threatened to well from her eyes, and she wanted to do nothing more than to cry.

In the end, she forced a smile. "Thanks anyway, though. You're kind enough to give me a last good meal. No one would have done that."

The guard nodded sorrowfully. "If I were to be killed, I'd want a bit of kindness before leaving this world."

Bonnie smiled weakly again. The guard seemed to hesitate. Then, he hunched his shoulders and headed away.

"Wait!" Bonnie called. "Can I have your name?"

The guard paused and turned back. "I'm Jeremy."

* * *

The first place Damon went to was Matt's home. By the time he arrived, it was over midnight, and he wasn't surprised by the fact that he had to bang on the door for quite a while before Matt appeared, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Where were you?" Matt grumbled. "After delivering those idiotic supplies to that pub, you never came back, so I assumed you were spending time with Katherine or something… which Master Damon, sir, is highly im…"

"No time." Damon said roughly, storming into the house. He picked up a glass of water and chugged it down, before heading to the bathroom for a change of clothes. When he came out, Matt had a bowl of grapes on the table. They sat down, and Damon told Matt about everything that had happened: the girls' capture, his escape, and his encounter as Joey Bing. When he was done, Matt was no longer bleary, but wide awake with shock.

"We have to rescue them!" Matt said.

"Exactly." Damon agreed.

They got up. While Matt changed out of his nightclothes, Damon raided the shack for weapons. Matt packed some medicine, food, and extra clothes. Once they were ready, they headed out into the night.

* * *

Elena ran and ran. Each step was torture, but she still ran on and on without stopping. However, her foolish plan, which she had known was foolish thank you very much, came to a clanking halt when people saw the chained woman running around and started to scream for guards, while trying to hold her down. None of them seemed to want to touch her, thankfully, and so she managed to dogde, kick and flay her way out of the mob only to be surrounded again twice as quickly.

"Why did I ever think to write this god damn book?" She thought as she ran, furiously trying to recall what she had planned for Katherine at this juncture. "Well, I never got this far, all my speculations and discarded ideas are coming true it seems! Well, then, I hope that idea about someone saving Katherine comes true too. It could be Vincent or Camille or someone! Hell, I would even take Enzo at this stage!"

Running, she tripped over the chains and soon the mob was upon her again but this time, she somehow managed to crawl her way out when someone caught her by the arm and put a hand over her mouth.

"Shh! It's okay; I will not let them harm you."

Despite being slightly reassured, Elena did not stop struggling until the person had managed to carry her away from the mob.

"Stop it, will you! I cannot carry you all the way to safety if you kick and punch like that!"

"Why, sir, I am sorry if I do not want a stranger to save me!"

"Fine then, I will just leave you here for the witch crazy mob to find. Heaven knows you are no witch!"

'And how do you know that?" Elena asked snidely, her patience and struggle growing thin out of fatigue.

"Well, I am a wizard and we can sense witches you know, you are something different, my lady, but not a being of the earth and certainly not one who seems to be evil enough to suffer in that castle," the man replied before setting Elena down. Looking up, Elena gasped. Standing in front of her in royal robes was a guard. Startled she renewed her struggling.

"Stop it! I am not going to kill you! I swear," the guard whispered, pressing her back against a wall as a few people passed by.

"What will you do then? I will not let you do anything to me," Elena growled but she knew the guard could overpower her any moment. Her brain was already working on escape strategies when the guard said his name.

"I am Alaric Grey. If you want proof of my being a wizard I can show you but just stop struggling!" Elena stared t the blonde man, no boy, as he changed his hair colour. No wonder she had failed to recognize him, he was one of the few characters who could change their appearance!

"How can you help me?"

"I can take you to the castle, no listen! I can take you there, to keep up my ruse and then I will like you attacked and overpowered me with magic and then you can escape. I will use my magic to aid you but it would seem you re the one using magic. Most people have forgotten that wizards exist so the suspicion on poor old me will be fairly less than the one on you," Alaric said and as stupid as his plan sounded, Elena knew it had chances of working, considering how nine of ten guards in the castle were fools. Come on, she had created them! Okay, that sounded a bit…

"I am in."

"What, my lady?"

"I mean," Elena said, frowning at her foolishness, "I will take your offer of help, good sir."

As they walked to the caste, Elena with false tears on her face to carry out the ruse, she thought of Bonnie, the woman who was becoming her best friend here.

"I wonder how Care and Bon are. Will they be okay, I mean they should be but I cannot help but worry, poor Bon!"

"If you are wondering about your witch friend, I know she is alive. For now," Alaric whispered and Elena looked up, again, startled. Not because of his words, no, but because how Bonnie had become friend. She always mattered to Elena and she was a friend but only a few days she was a fictional friend and now, well this just drives home the reality of your situation doesn't it El, her brain said to her, or should I call you Katherine?

"Come on witch!" Alaric suddenly taunted and pulled at the chains, causing her to fall atop him and soon she was up and running while he screamed in pain. She may or may not have, accidently on purpose, hit her knee where the sun doesn't shine but that was to only make the pain seem real! She loved this character, like the little brother she never had. Soon she was running and the guards were behind her but then she was slightly floating and quickly made hand movements that reminded her of the Harry Potter movies.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" she screamed as she floated even higher, not much; barely an inch over the ground but enough to scare the guards, just because it seemed to fit the moment and because she wanted to. I mean, how many times does one get the chance to scream a Harry Potter spell while floating? Soon, however, all the elation left her and she was back on ground, running. The guards, scared as they were of the obvious display of magic- she shouted out a spell as she floated! - stayed away as she ran. Looking back, she saw someone help Alaric up but most were avoiding him like plague. For a moment, her heart sped up for her rescuer but then she recalled he lived and there was a good reason for it, after all Alaric Grey was none other than…

"The witch flees!" Shouts broke her out of her thoughts as she ran but eventually, she stumbled out of the castle and into the town, tripping into a cold alley (thankfully avoiding mobs this time by shouting out random spells and hand movements which people perceived were some sort of harmful magic to them., Alaric might have helped by making a few people faint while he and guards chased her but that was of no import, her screaming incantations usually covered his whispered or non verbal ones), and she just lay there, too tired to move anymore. Painfully, she hauled herself up. Her ankles were swollen and puffy, and her feet were covered in blisters. Yeah, a break sounded wonderful.

Carefully, Elena propped herself against the slick wall, panting and trying to catch her breath. And once her heartbeat slowed, she thought of the story.

Then, she gasped and scrambled to her feet.

* * *

Bonnie was going to be executed the next day. And there was no way in hell Elena was going to let that happen without a fight. She had to find Damon, and together, they would save Bonnie and Caroline, and get out of this cursed place.

Elena took a deep breath and lurched out of the alley… only to run into a very familiar person.

"Elena!"

"Damon!"

For a moment, the two of them stared at each other in disbelief. Elena didn't hesitate to give Damon the biggest hug in the world.

"You escaped?" Damon said, impressed.

"Yes, yes," Elena said distractedly. "We have to save Bonnie. She's going to be executed tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

Elena turned to see Matt gawping in surprise. "How'd you know?"

"I overheard it," Elena fibbed. "But either way, we have to move fast. Is there any way you guys can… uh… get me out of these?" Elena gestured towards her shackles.

"I got this," Damon said confidently, raising a hatchet and smashing it down. Elena barely had time to yelp before the chains were nothing but ruined chunks of metal scattered all over the street.

"You could have cut me in half!" Elena yelled.

Damon shrugged easily. "Hey, best way to do it is to do it fast. If I told you that I was going to hack it off, you'd probably waste ten minutes just 'preparing' yourself."

"Well, I never!" Elena said indignantly.

"Shh!"

The three of them whirled around to see a guard standing behind them.

Instantly, weapons were raised. Elena raised her fists, scowling.

"You guys are so loud!" the guard hissed. "Quiet down, or you'll wake the whole street!"

"Don't care," Damon snarled. "Get out of here and keep your slimy mouth shut, or I swear I'm going to kill you."

The guard ignored Damon. "I'm a friend. I'm here to help you rescue Bonnie Bennett."

"And why should we trust you?" Matt said skeptically.

"We can trust him," Elena cut in confidently. Damon and Matt stared at her in surprise, as she continued, "He's a good guy in the stor… I mean, I've seen him help some prisoners out before. He's a good person. We can definitely trust him and he is the one that helped me you know."

For a moment, Damon and Matt's faces were torn with confusion. Then, they lowered their weapons, but kept their knives unsheathed.

"We'll trust you this time," Damon said to the guard coldly. "But if you ever try to backstab us, we're taking you down with us."

"I have no intentions of backstabbing you." The guard said, his voice just as frosty. "I'm Jeremy. The execution is going to take place in just two hours. So let's make our plans quickly, and get to work."


	15. Chapter 15

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Matt was quivering with excitement as dawn broke over the horizon. Their teamwork was amazing. Despite knowing Jeremy for barely an hour, they had worked in perfect synchronization, idea after idea, and in less than thirty minutes, they had a plan ready. The next hour was spent gathering materials and making preparations. Once that was done, everyone scrambled into their positions, and they were ready.

Matt and Jeremy made their way to the city square… or more accurately, a small stage in the middle of a large clearing meant for executions. It was very early, but there were already a few townspeople milling around, shabby shawls and coats wrapped tightly around their shoulders to keep out the chill. Even though the thick layers of clothing, Matt could see the glint of wicked delight in their eyes. Yes, town life was dull, but watching an execution was _not_ supposed to be a joyous occasion.

Jeremy nodded. Matt flashed a thumbs-up. With that, Jeremy disappeared to the opposite end of the hall, finding a spot close to the stage.

As the sun rose slowly into the sky, more and more people filled the square. Guards dressed in brightly-colored uniforms marched out, lances and swords decorating their armor. In moments, the clearing was filled with the chatter, the scent of baking bread and other breakfast foods wafting into the air as the people shoved down an early meal. Unconsciously, Matt's stomach rumbled.

Then, there were screams of delight, followed by boos and curses. Two burly soldiers shoved the townspeople aside, forming a rough path leading from the castle to the chopping block. Instantly, Matt wasn't hungry anymore. His stomach was filled with dread.

A squad of eight soldiers surrounded Bonnie as she was dragged down the street. She looked horrible, and Matt felt his chest clench with fear, worry, and rage. Bonnie's hair was limp and greasy, straggling down her back like worms. Her skin was sallow, and it had only been a few days, but she was already significantly thinner, her pale face tight with pain. Her arms and legs were decorated with bruises and marks from shackles and chains, and she was clearly shivering. That ragged scrap of a dress barely did anything to protect her from the cold.

"The witch!" the people were bellowing in rage. Rotten fruit flew into the air, along with harsher curses. A tomato swollen with worms landed with a splat on the pavement, the juice smearing Bonnie's skirt. She looked at it dully, not quite registering what was going on, as a moldy apple smacked into her chest, causing her to stagger back, releasing a short cry of pain. The soldiers surrounding her laughed as she struggled to her feet, dragging her mercilessly towards her death.

Bonnie was hauled up the stage, falling to her knees. A masked executioner wielding a massive broadsword waited there, still and silent.

"Kill the witch!" a thin old woman shouted, her reedy voice carrying across the hall with surprising ease.

"Yes!"

"Kill her!"

The people took up the cry.

 _Any time now…_ Matt thought nervously.

Suddenly, there was a wail. Everyone turned to see a woman, her face covered in a massive cloak standing there, her arms raised in distress.

"As the Queen of Witches, I curse all of you! I curse all of you for killing my sister!" Katherine's voice was clearly heard.

Some of the audience fell to their knees in despair. Some of them laughed.

"Get her too!" a little boy said cruelly.

In a single movement, everyone in the square lunged forward, ready to capture the newest witch. Even the guards surrounding Bonnie grinned at each other and chased. Katherine ducked down the streets nimbly, disappearing into an alley with the majority of the crowd.

Now. Matt leapt up the stage, landing lightly on the wooden planks. In front of him, Jeremy scrambled up as well, hurling the executioner off the stage and into the crowd. A guard rushed up to Matt, his sword raised, but Matt simply stuck out a leg and with a yelp, the poor soldier tumbled to the floor as well.

Matt and Jeremy hurried over to Bonnie, picking her up and letting her lean heavily on their shoulders.

"Matt? Jeremy?" Bonnie croaked weakly.

"Yes, it's us." Jeremy whispered soothingly. "Come on. Let's go."

With that, they lurched down the stage, and disappeared into the streets.

* * *

Elena had never run that fast in her entire life. She remembered racing the 400 meter race against her grade on Sports Day, tearing down the track and feeling like the wind, winning a proud gold medal. Now, her speed would have left that Elena a thousand meters behind. The blend of adrenaline and excitement gave her wings, and she _flew_ across the town, the people having no chance of capturing her.

Elena rounded a bend. There he was. Damon was sitting atop a black stallion, eyes scanning the streets for her. Elena rushed up. Damon gave her a hand, and with a tug, she was up, sitting behind him on the saddle.

Without any hesitation, Damon snapped the reins, and the stallion reared, bursting into a gallop. Behind them, the crowd screamed in dismay, but Elena laughed. In front of her, Damon was laughing too.

* * *

Everyone regrouped at Matt's home. Elena had wrapped Bonnie up, fed her a hearty stew, and tucked her into bed. Without any difficulty, Bonnie slipped into dreamland.

Then, everyone grabbed steaming mugs of tea and freshly baked scones, and sat at the living room, smiles on their faces.

"That was amazing!" Elena grinned.

"Oh yeah," Matt elbowed Jeremy. "Those poor soldiers, though. Hope they didn't break their necks while we tossed them off the stage."

"We got Bonnie back… everyone…" Damon started, but stopped. Elena felt her chest tighten again, the thrill of success fading.

"Caroline…" Elena whispered. "She's still captured."

"She's in the castle." Damon said grimly. "That's going to make rescuing a whole lot harder."

There was a moment of silence.

"No fear!" Matt said confidently. "We are a team. Once Bonnie is up and ready, I'm a hundred percent sure that we will get Caroline back. And trust me, we will not fail."


	16. Chapter 16

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

Bonnie groaned as she felt something cold on her head. She was warm everywhere else, too warm. There was something heavy atop her as well and the distinct smell of an herbal stew being made. It was not just any stew though, but a witch's brew. Where was she?

She opened her eyes to see that she was in a small room, on a bed, swaddled in blankets. Cringing in pain, she raised her arm, trying to touch what had to be a wet strip on her forehead. Mixed with the herbal brew, those were perfect to restore any witch or member of the hunt to health. As her arms stretched fully, she sighed in relief. She must not have been out long then, her body had still not adjusted to being relaxed. But none of this answered her question, where was she? Whose house was she in? Another witch's place, most probably, but friend or foe? This was not the house of the witches whom she knew and led. No, this was another. Could it be Freya? The king's sister. Fear raised the hair on her arms at that thought. But no, King Klaus, would never show her or any witch the kindness of a proper bed and health. Maybe, he would keep her alive to execute her publicly but heal her? Never. The only reason she could think of him doing this was to prove another myth. Witches healed faster. But what would this gain him? No, this was not Klaus.

Sighing, she rolled over again. Most would think her foolish to continue to rest when she could be at a foe's mercy but she knew this person would not harm her. Even if it was foe. Taking in and caring for an injured witch, if you were a child of the earth yourself, it was an oath, a binding. Neither would try to hurt the other till they left the house. You could hatch plots and scheme but till the injured was healed, their life was attached to yours. You could treat them terribly or never take them in but once the treatment was started, yours lives were one. It was an ancient magic. Yet she knew, even if Freya took her in, she knew it would not equal this treatment. She could be healed without a bed after all. No, this was someone else.

Well, nothing to do but try and gather information and right now, she was so tired and hungry and sore that waiting till the person or someone else came with her stew, seemed to be the best choice, not that she couldn't fight if she had to but the witch brew was working and making her body rest. It was almost like a force making her rest and numbing her brain. Dangerous but since she couldn't be harmed; playing a damsel in distress was a good choice. The people holding her captive, if there were any; she thought it unlikely that anyone would save her from execution to kill her; information yes but even that seemed unlikely, would feel she was succumbing to the brew and be more lax around her and while they would know she was healing, they would not realize how attentive she is an she would get a chance, minuscule one though, to escape before they realized their life was no longer tied to hers and she could be harmed. Plus if they believed her drugged then they would believe anything she gave as answers, even if she faked a bit of resistance thought that wasn't a good choice on a large scale, and thus she could get away with lies if they wanted information. Yes, this plan seemed perfect or as perfect as things could be. Most likely should she try to walk, she would fall over, there was this too. The guards were vicious when tying her up and her poor legs were smattering. She was sure they had dragged her to the square, probably kicking her as well. Well, if she was doing this, she might take stock of the rest of her injuries, her left side hurt really badly as it was. Gingerly feeling the area, Bonnie realized she might have bruised her ribs or something similar and looking down, she could see that it was a good idea she did not try to stand. Her left ankle was bound with medical tape and since it was numb, she figured it was likely sprained.

Sighing, she rolled over. The brew was making her really sleepy but she was determined to see who was holding her and whether they were friend or foe.

"Bon Bon, awake are you?" Someone screamed from outside the room and then laughed when another voice, this one barely above a whisper, tried to shush the first speaker. Damon. Those were Damon and Katherine! She was among friends! Oh thank the ancient lands of magic; she was among her allies and friends. But what if they were held captive too? A small voice rushed the thought to her, almost startling her with its intensity. What if Katherine was harmed? Damon? Jeremy had said Katherine, no what if this was all an illusion? Or worse Freya's delusion? Was Elena okay?

No, no, they can't be. Damon wouldn't let their captives know she was awake. But he doesn't know, maybe he was playing? She had known him so little yet she trusted that man because she knew Katherine knew him and she trusted the young girl. No, they couldn't be captives Damon sounded too happy and Elena too. Maybe, she was safe.

"Bonnie, here let me change your bandage. I know you can hear me, and I expect answers to all my questions when you wake up. You know which questions, too," Elena walked in, saying this. The last bit was said with an amused yet evil sounding tone and Bonnie immediately was more curious than she had been before. Elena was joking and smiling. Elena was safe. Thank the ancient lords, the girl was safe. Jeremy had told her that the young one hadn't yet been brought to the castle and Bonnie had been so scared. Now though, she could feel it was okay. She hoped it was not a delusion but in their world you could never be sure. But why would Klaus waste his sister's powers on her? As far as she knew, he didn't consider her a foe, like he had done…before. Before she was Bonnie. But he didn't consider her a foe now did he? Did he consider even her small hidden coven a danger? He hated witches, she knew and she knew if caught they would likely die. She knew if their plans or inner most thoughts came to light, they would die but how had their thoughts reached Klaus? Did he perhaps know of her secrets? That she was…

"Bonnie you are awake!"

Suddenly her arms were filled with the young woman whom she had rescued from death, just the way Katherine did for her now. It hurt Bonnie now as she hugged Katherine; she had been saved from execution. An execution. Bonnie slowly began to shake, the brew's smell weakening her defenses, and Katherine just hugged her harder, whispering soothing things in her ears.

"It's okay, you are okay, Jeremy is making a stew for you. You have that and you will feel even better okay?" the young woman told Bonnie. Elena was confused how to help Bonnie. Both the character she made and this strong woman who had become her best friend in this world, and actually anyone in tears usually liked hugs and reassuring words but what to say? Sounding confused she began to state things, good things, like how Bonnie was okay and how stew was being made. Everyone loved food, right?

"Jeremy?" Bonnie asked, her head shooting up. The same Jeremy who had been kind to her, give her food? But how was her guard a witch? Had he helped her because of that? Whatever, Bonnie knew she was in debt but Jeremy was still a guard. A guard who she knew would not harm her, because he could not, but would he turn her in? Likely not, as he saved her or so it seemed form Katherine's words and he was kind to her but did he have some plan? Maybe he was just a good person. Bonnie wanted to believe the last part and so decided to wait before she passed any judgment.

"The stew's ready Bon, Bon," Damon cheerfully announced as he came in with the brew. Bonnie took it gratefully, sipping the food down. Her entire body seemed to melt in relief.

"Feeling better?" Katherine asked.

Bonnie nodded. "Much better... but wait." There was one face missing from the crowd. "Where's Caroline?"

Immediately, everyone's faces darkened.

"She's still captured," Damon said darkly.

Bonnie pushed herself up on shaky elbows. "We... we have to get her!"

"I know, we will." Katherine said, her voice full of certainty. "Once you get back on your feet, we'll be getting her back."

Stools and chairs were being dragged over to surround the bed. Bowls of stew and hunks of bread were passed around as they settled down comfortably.

"Well, as we all know, the best rescues come with the best plans..." Damon started. He grinned wolfishly at everyone around him. "Any suggestions?"


	17. Chapter 17

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

The days blurred into a sickening mess of monotony. Rebekah was absolutely disgusting, her voice always honey-sweet, hiding painful pinches behind fluttering eyelashes and flirty smiles but they had planned this, after Rebekah told her about their mothers. This was necessary. Every time they passed in the hallways, Klaus would always pat her on the cheek or say something that would have made any normal girl swoon, but only made her feel as if worms were crawling down her back.

Eventually, Klaus deemed her docile enough to join the courts. Every morning after breakfast, they'd go out for hunts, bringing home huge numbers of dead wildlife, far more than they could eat. After that came the court meetings – the very thing Caroline hated the most. Klaus would sit at the throne, listening to the councils jabber away, while his brothers sat next to him, brooding. Rebekah would glide down the paths, weaving between ambassadors and courtesans, a bright smile and glittering eyes fixed onto her beautiful little face. Caroline's job was to sit next to Klaus, smile prettily, and try not to shudder when Klaus held her hand or in worst cases, tried to kiss her.

Today was no better. In the morning, while being laced into a ridiculously puffy pink dress, a servant had gasped about how thin Caroline was getting. Caroline simply smiled stiffly. After that, they went on another hunt, hounds barking, arrows flying, and this time, they brought down a beautiful doe. Caroline's heart broke as she saw its delicate brown fur darken with blood, its wide eyes grow dull with death, and she wanted to tear everyone apart when they tied it carelessly behind a steed to be dragged back to the castle. But of course, she couldn't do a thing.

Once a lunch of venison, which Caroline didn't take a bite out of, was over, they proceeded to court meetings. And that was when everything seemed to change.

The doors were thrown wide open, a young man walking in. He was easily one of the best-looking people Caroline had ever seen, with a lean, athletic figure, dark hair, and dark eyes filled with humor and intelligence. Unlike the other nobles who were dressed in pricey suits, he wore a simple tunic, leather boots, a brown coat, and knives strapped to a hunting belt. As he knelt before the king, Caroline swore she saw him wink at her.

"My lord," the man said. "I'm Tyler Lockwood, you may have heard of me as one of the best hunters in the land."

The entire court hushed. Eyes were immediately filled with mixtures of admiration and fear. Caroline felt her blood run cold.

Rule number one – never say that you're better than Klaus. Never even imply that you might be better. Klaus was going to be the best in everything – the most handsome, the richest, the best hunter, the best king. Anyone even daring to challenge him was pretty much facing a death wish filled with humiliation.

There was a long pause of silence.

Then, Klaus laughed. Caroline felt herself shudder, with fear or relief, she had no idea.

"Good!" Klaus smiled. It was surprisingly un-evil. "I suppose I could sharpen my own hunting skills, and I'm sure you're willing to help me out."

Tyler smiled, but there was a flicker of worry in his eyes. "Of course,"

Klaus's icy hand tightened on Caroline's clammy one. "But once I have mastered those skills, I suppose I will have to practice…"

Of course. Everyone probably knew of it already. Once Klaus was done getting all of the information and skills from Tyler, he's probably going to kill him. Caroline had literally just met Tyler, but she knew she had to do something…

"All right," Klaus waved a hand dismissively. "Meeting's over. Next!"

"Wait!" Tyler blurted. He fumbled into a pocket. "I have a gift for the lady."

Caroline felt her face flush. From across the room, Rebekah, who was perched on the lap of a blond ambassador, frowned.

Deftly, Tyler leapt up the dias, dropping something light onto Caroline's lap, and got down, bowing, tipping his hat, and leaving before anyone could have time to react. Klaus's face was pale with barely suppressed fury, and before Klaus could tear it out of her hands and throw it into the fire, Caroline slipped the gift safely into a pocket.

As the court proceedings continued, Caroline carefully stuck a hand into her pocket and felt the token. It was very small, about the size of a matchbox, but carefully carved... She ran her fingers through the curves and planes, and after a moment, she realized that it was a wolf.


	18. Chapter 18

**The Jump**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

That night, Klaus was furious.

After dinner, Caroline retreated to her rooms quickly, but not quickly enough. As she hurried down the hallway, Klaus slammed into her, pressing her against the wall. Caroline's heart sprang in her throat, and she felt her fists clench.

"What did he give you?" Klaus growled.

"Nothing," Caroline managed, gasping. Before dinner, she had gone to the bathroom, and there, she managed to tuck the little wolf under her skirts, around the bustle, not in her pockets. She could feel the cool wood pressing into her back as Klaus pressed her even more onto the wall.

Klaus snarled, shoving his hands into her pockets, and Caroline felt the fabric tear.

"That's an expensive dress. Don't ruin it," Caroline panted.

Klaus didn't care. He continued to turn her pockets inside out, along with her sleeves, but thank goodness he didn't check under her skirts. But even if he did, Caroline definitely wouldn't have minded screaming her lungs out for help, and see how Klaus's image would look like if people caught him 'harassing' the princess…

Once the search was over, Klaus whirled away, storming down the hall and back to the feast downstairs. Caroline staggered into her room, sinking into a chair, and after a moment of awkwardness, she managed to get the little wolf out, cradling it tightly in her hands, refusing to let it go.

Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Caroline threw the little wolf into a drawer and briefly checked herself in the mirror. Her face was pale, and her hair was a little mussed, but she was overall presentable. Either way, her appearance wouldn't matter much, since it was probably a maid or something coming to give her a bath.

"Come in," Caroline called.

The door opened, and her jaw smacked the floor.

"Tyler?" Caroline said, stunned.

"Hey," Tyler grinned. "The company downstairs sucks, and I got bored, and I just so happened to stumble across the princess's chambers…"

There had been many suitors who had pulled the same stunt on her so many times, which would result in her kicking them out with an extra serving of disgrace, but this time… Caroline felt herself smiling.

"Yeah, well." Caroline laughed. "Hope you don't mind me, then, because my company is probably even more boring than the one downstairs…"

"I don't mind." Tyler said. He gestured awkwardly. "May I come in?"

That was when Caroline realized that he had been hovering around the door the whole time. "Of course."

Tyler got in, still smiling easily, but his shoulders were a little curled, his face flushed slightly, almost as if he was… shy?

"So…" Tyler began, suddenly a teeny bit awkward. "How's life, really?"

"Exciting," Caroline said. "It was really awesome in the beginning. Something really big happened to me recently, but then, I got dragged back to this hole of boredom, and life became uninteresting again."

"Really?" Tyler looked genuinely intrigued. "What happened?"

Caroline wanted to tell him all about Katherine, Bonnie, her new friends and all of their adventures, but Tyler was a noble. He could simply rat them out, and if her friends were slaughtered because of her, Caroline would never be able to forgive herself. But at the same time…

"I escaped from the castle," Caroline said carefully. "I met a bunch of friends – they're very ordinary and not very rich, but they're the kindest and best people I could ever wish to meet."

"Nice," Tyler said. "How are they like?"

"Well," Caroline felt herself smiling. "One of them is really good with healing and cooking. She can make the best food, even better than the food in the kitchens here. Another one is kind of odd, always staring off into space and muttering to herself, but she's very brave and when by simply being around her, you're happy."

"Any guys?" Tyler asked teasingly.

Caroline laughed. "Yes. But I've caught both of them picking their noses, so they're not cool at all."

All right, not really. She had never caught Damon or Matt picking their noses or doing anything weird and all, but she had to add that in.

Tyler burst out laughing, and his laugh was contagious. In moments, Caroline felt herself chuckling, and both of them were doubled over in hysterics. A blossom of warmth spread through Caroline's chest, and for a moment ever since being separated from her friends… she was happy.

The door burst open, and their smiles vanished instantly.

Klaus stood there, his face as black as night, eyes flashing, mouth turned downwards in displeasure.

"Sir," Tyler said, straightening up quickly.

"This is interesting," Klaus said slowly. Caroline fought a shudder as his cold, shark-like eyes seemed to strip her naked. "A respected hunter, flirting with my fiancée?"

"No, sir," Tyler said immediately. "I wasn't doing anything inappropriate-"

"Liar," Klaus snarled. Guards appeared behind him, almost like magic. Klaus pointed a vicious finger towards Tyler. "Arrest this man for treachery!"

"What? No!" Caroline yelled. "Klaus, he wasn't doing anything wrong!"

"Maybe not," Klaus said. A very frightening smile spread across his face. "But either way, your dear Tyler is going to hang. You might cry, you might hate me, but again, you and I both know about it – Tyler is going to die, and there's nothing you can do about it."


End file.
